Partial glove for protection of touchscreens

ABSTRACT

The invention is directed to a partial glove for the protection of a touchscreen. The partial glove comprises a pair of independent finger sleeves which slide over the index and middle finger, as well as a thumb sleeve which slides over the thumb and wraps around the ball of the hand, to be secured by a patch of hook-and-loop fabric. This prevents soiling and damage of the touchscreen. The partial glove is preferably manufactured from a breathable fabric mesh, except for three elliptical pads on the tips of the fingers and thumb. The pads are preferably manufactured from a smooth, solid material such as leather.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGCOMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to electronic device accessories and inparticular to a partial glove for protection of touchscreens. When aperson uses a smartphone, tablet computer, or other electronic devicewhich is equipped with a touchscreen, dirt and skin oil from the user'sfingertips will invariably soil the touchscreen. Besides the annoyingfingerprints left on the screen, in some cases dirt, grit, and otherforeign material on the fingertips or the touchscreen is rubbed againstthe surface of the touchscreen, causing scratches. Users have alsodiscovered that the non-uniform presence of such foreign materialcreates an inconsistent contact with the touchscreen, and may obstructthe manual dexterity of the user, preventing the fingertips from theircustomary gliding motion across the touchscreen and resulting ininaccurate data input. Under certain conditions, the user's perspirationmay also affect the touchscreen. Users prefer a surface which is keptclean and hygienic.

A search of the prior art reveals various gloves which have beendeveloped to protect the touchscreen and provide a more consistentcontact. None are closely related to the present invention, but severalinclude features which resemble those of the present invention. Each hasproven to be less than satisfactory in its own way. The presentinvention has been developed for the purpose of addressing and resolvingthese disadvantages.

Sun-proof embroidered gloves capable of operating on touch screen,Chinese Patent No. CN202664335 (filed Jun. 13, 2012), provides a glovewhich is embroidered on the interior surface of the fingertips withconductive silk threads.

Polar fleece glove for touch screen, Chinese Patent No. CN202396508(filed Nov. 17, 2011), provides a glove which is manufactured from polarfleece, and features a conductive layer of silver-plated knitted fabricat a first knuckle of at least one finger of the glove's base fabric,such that the user may operate a touchscreen electronic device withoutremoving the glove in cold weather.

Three-finger touch screen glove, Chinese Patent No. CN202873879 (filedNov. 2, 2012), provides a full glove body with four finger sleeves and athumb sleeve. However, the finger sleeves covering the user's indexfinger and middle finger, and the thumb sleeve covering the user's thumbprovide fingertip areas which feature conductive fibers in the material.

Thermoelectricity conduction type touch screen operation glove, ChinesePatent No. CN202890589, provides a glove with fingertip sleeves whichare manufactured from materials with both heat conduction andelectricity conduction properties, such that the user may operate atouchscreen electronic device without removing the glove in coldweather.

Glove convenient for doctors to operate touch screen, Chinese Patent No.201312564 (filed Dec. 16, 2008), provides a medical rubber glove with around air cell 1.5 cm in diameter at the tip of the finger sleeve of theindex finger.

Leather glove capable of operating touch screen, Chinese Patent No.CN202664326 (filed Jun. 13, 2012), provides a leather glove with a heatretention property, which has been subjected to a conductivity treatmentsuch that the leather is conductive. The glove provides an inner layerand an outer layer.

Glove for touch screen, Chinese Patent No. CN202456548 (filed Jan. 12,2012), provides a glove with elliptical touch blocks combined on oneside of the fingers of the main body. The touch blocks are woven fromcarbon fibers and metal fibers.

Heat and electricity conductive touch screen operating gloves, ChinesePatent App. No. CN102845872 (filed Sep. 26, 2012), provide gloves withfingertip covers. The fingertip covers are manufactured from materialswhich conduct heat and electricity, formed by the mixed spinning of 30%stainless steel fibers, 35% cotton fibers, and 35% polyester fibers. Twoembodiments are provided. The first exemplary embodiment provides thefingertip covers on all five fingers. The second exemplary embodimentprovides the fingertip covers on the thumb, index finger, and middlefinger.

Gloves convenient for medical personnel to operate touch screenelectronic instruments, Chinese Patent No. CN202211195 (filed Sep. 5,2011), provides a piece of elliptical conductive rubber adhered to thetop end of the index finger.

Touch screen gloves, Chinese Patent No. 202958911 (filed Nov. 16, 2012)provides thumbs and forefingers of the glove bodies which are dividedinto both upper and lower joints. The upper and lower joints areconnected by nylon fastener tapes, and the lower joints of the thumbsand the forefingers are also provided with connecting ropes connectedwith the upper joints. The nylon fastener tapes adopt a detachableconnection manner, such when the touch screen gloves are in use, onlythe upper joints of the thumbs and the forefingers need to be takendown.

Gloves for touchscreen use, U.S. Patent App. Publ. No. 2011/0265245(filed Apr. 29, 2010), provide gloves with conductive thread knitted orsewn into one or more fingertips, which are suitable for use in coldweather.

Fingertip cover and method of dispensing same, U.S. Patent App. Publ.No. 2013/0025016 (filed Jul. 30, 2011), provides a fingertip coverwherein a portion of the substrate may be conductive to allowtransmission of an electric charge to a surface, such as a touchscreen.

Knit gloves with conductive finger pads, U.S. Patent App. Publ. No.2013/0104285 (filed Oct. 27, 2011), provide seamless knit gloves whereinthe finger sleeves, anterior palm side and posterior back side are knitas a unitary structure which has a high degree of elasticity. The gloveneeds no finger-linking operation to attach the sleeves to the anteriorand posterior glove regions. Electrically conductive yarn is deployedover at least an anterior tip region of the thumb and the index fingersleeve to enable the user to activate a capacitive touch screen of anelectronic device. The user's electrical skin condition is transferredvia the conductive threads to the capacitive touch screen.

Garment with touch-sensitive features, U.S. Patent App. Pub. No.2013/0021292 (filed Sep. 11, 2006), provides a garment including a shelladapted to receive a portion of a finger of a wearer therein, the shellhaving an interior surface, an exterior surface and an aperture forreceiving the finger of the wearer and at least one conductive memberdisposed on the exterior surface of the shell, the at least oneconductive member capable of conducting a signal recognizable by atouch-sensitive device. The garment can also include at least onecleaning material piece thereon to be used to clean a control surface ofthe device.

Most of the prior art inventions are intended to resolve the problem ofconductivity between the fingertip and the touchscreen when wearinggloves for the purpose of keeping the user's hands warm in cold weather.The prior art does not address the problem of dirt, grit, and otherforeign materials smudging or damaging the touchscreen, or preventinggood contact between the fingertip and the touchscreen. The partialglove in the present invention prevents foreign material fromaccumulating due to contact by the fingertips, and provides minimumcoverage for the user's hand and fingers, reducing perspiration in warmconditions which may affect the touchscreen.

The partial glove comprises a pair of independent finger sleeves whichslide over the index and middle finger, as well as a thumb sleeve whichslides over the thumb and wraps around the ball of the hand, to besecured by a patch of hook-and-loop fabric. The partial glove ispreferably manufactured from a breathable fabric mesh, except for threeelliptical pads on the tips of the fingers and thumb. The pads arepreferably manufactured from a smooth, solid material such as leather.All materials used in construction are preferably easily cleaned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the invention is directed to a partial glove for theprotection of a touchscreen. The partial glove comprises a pair ofindependent finger sleeves which slide over the index and middle finger,as well as a thumb sleeve which slides over the thumb and wraps aroundthe ball of the hand, to be secured by a patch of hook-and-loop fabric.This prevents soiling and damage of the touchscreen. The partial gloveis preferably manufactured from a breathable fabric mesh, except forthree elliptical pads on the tips of the fingers and thumb. The pads arepreferably manufactured from a smooth, solid material such as leather.All materials used in construction are preferably easily cleaned.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description which follows, and will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Theforegoing general description and the following detailed description areexemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide furtherexplanation of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitutea part of the specification. They illustrate two embodiments of theinvention and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a front view of the first exemplary embodiment, displaying thepartial glove 10, the finger sleeves 11, the thumb sleeve 12, the pads13, the straps 14, the wrist band 15, and indicated by a dashed line thepatches of hook and loop fabric 16.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the second exemplary embodiment, displayingthe finger sleeves 11, the thumb sleeve 12, the pads 13, and indicatedby dashed lines the patches of hook and loop fabric 17.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, the invention is directedto a partial glove 10 for the protection of a touchscreen. The partialglove 10 comprises a pair of independent finger sleeves 11 which slideover the index and middle finger, as well as a thumb sleeve 12 whichslides over the thumb and wraps around the ball of the hand, to besecured by a patch of hook-and-loop fabric. This prevents soiling anddamage of the touchscreen. The partial glove 10 is preferablymanufactured from a breathable fabric mesh, except for three ellipticalpads 13 on the tips of the fingers and thumb. The pads 13 are preferablymanufactured from a smooth, solid material such as leather.

The partial glove 10 is presented in two exemplary embodiments, althoughalternate embodiments are contemplated. The first exemplary embodimentfeatures three straps 14, which attach the finger sleeves 11 and thethumb sleeve 12 to a wrist band 15. In the first exemplary embodiment,the partial glove 10 is secured to the user's wrist with a patch 16 ofhook-and-loop fabric at the wrist, providing a closure of the fabricmesh. The second exemplary embodiment comprises two finger sleeves 11and a thumb sleeve 12 which are not attached to each other. In thesecond exemplary embodiment, the finger sleeves 11 and the thumb sleeve12 are individually secured to the user's digits with patches 17 ofhook-and-loop fabric, providing a closure of the fabric mesh. The smoothfingertip pads 13 enable the user to tap and drag various images andicons across the touchscreen, without soiling or damaging it. Allmaterials used in construction are preferably easily cleaned.

The finger sleeves 11, the thumb sleeve 12, the straps 14, and the wristband 15 are preferably manufactured from flexible, durable, breathablefabric which is easily cleaned, such as nylon mesh. The pads 13 arepreferably manufactured from a flexible, durable material with a smoothsurface which is easily cleaned, such as leather or plastic. Components,component sizes, and materials listed above are preferable, but artisanswill recognize that alternate components and materials could be selectedwithout altering the scope of the invention.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one ofordinary skill to make and use what is presently considered to be thebest mode thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understandand appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, andequivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. Theinvention should, therefore, not be limited by the above describedembodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methodswithin the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim:
 1. A partial glove for the protection of a touchscreen,comprising a pair of independent finger sleeves, a thumb sleeve, and awrist band; said wristband being connected to said pair of independentfinger sleeves and said thumb sleeve by straps; elliptical pads on thetips of the finger sleeves and thumb sleeve.
 2. The partial glove ofclaim 1, wherein said partial glove is secured and wristband is closedvia a patch of hook-and-loop fabric.
 3. The partial glove of claim 1,wherein the partial glove is manufactured from a breathable fabric meshwhich is easily cleaned.
 4. (canceled)
 5. The partial glove of claim 1,wherein said elliptical pads are manufactured from a smooth, solidmaterial which is easily cleaned; said material being configured tointeract with a touchscreen display such that said partial glove is usedto tap and drag various images and icons across the touchscreen, withoutsoiling or damaging said touchscreen display.
 6. A partial glove for theprotection of a touchscreen, comprised of two finger sleeves and a thumbsleeve; said two finger sleeves and said thumb sleeve not being attachedto each other by any physical structure; elliptical pads on the tips ofthe finger sleeves and thumb sleeve.
 7. The partial glove in claim 6,wherein the finger sleeves and the thumb sleeve are individually securedwith patches of hook-and-loop fabric.
 8. The partial glove of claim 6,wherein the partial glove is manufactured from a breathable fabric meshwhich is easily cleaned.
 9. (canceled)
 10. The partial glove of claim 6,wherein said elliptical pads are manufactured from a smooth, solidmaterial which is easily cleaned; said material being configured tointeract with a touchscreen display such that said partial glove is usedto tap and drag various images and icons across the touchscreen, withoutsoiling or damaging said touchscreen display.